The Best of All Lost Arts
by Regal-Song
Summary: Set in the current Season/Season 9. This story begs the question - "What would things have been like, had Calleigh been pregnant when she broke up with Jake?"
1. Chapter 1

This story is set in the current season. Where we flash back to is a varied version of the Season 7 Premiere episode 'Resurrection'. (And/or what would be considered to be deleted scenes from the episode.) All flashbacks are written in_ italics_. The title comes from the Mark Twain quote that Calleigh mentions in Season 3 episode 4 'Murder in the Flash' - _"The best of all lost arts is honesty."_

I know it would appear that I am a little fixated on baby-fic at the moment and perhaps I am, but this is the idea that has come to me and it is _particularly_ close to my heart, so I went with it. Please enjoy and know that I've done my best to respect the characters, as they are, in a situation that they have not been before.

* * *

With a determined stride, sunglasses in hand, Horatio headed toward the elevator with Calleigh, purposefully in tow. Frank had caught their suspect and with a great deal of time invested in this case, both Calleigh and Horatio had made a silent pact to be there when the man got the dressing-down of his life. And, as a team, the pair were fully intent to take part in his interrogation.

Calleigh in particular, was practically seething with the want to strangle the man. The torturing of a five-year-old girl and her grand-mother was just not something that was going to leave her subconcious for quite some time. The image was imbedded there, like a constant, sharp, pain to the back of her mind.

The rustle of Horatio's suit jacket and the swift clacking of Calleigh's heels on the ground, parted the sea of people before them as they passed the reception desk, though with a single inquisitive voice and the silence around them, their momentum came to a sudden halt.

"Officer Duquesne, there's a call for you from a Miss Shelby?" The officer behind the reception desk had a curious tone. Obviously, he'd never fielded a call from this particular woman and was somewhat confused that one with a very high pitched and almost condescending voice, from 'Lollipops DayCare Center' would be calling for Officer Duquesne.

Calleigh quickly glanced to Horatio who silently urged her to take the call, indicating that he would wait a few paces behind her. Tentatively, and with a small, gracious, smile; Calleigh took the phone and raised it to her ear. "This is Officer Duquesne."

"_Oh, thank goodness_," The woman on the other end of the line - Miss Shelby - exclaimed. "_I've been trying to call you._"

"Is everything alright?" Calleigh enquired, turning to meet Horatio's eye. He was standing to the side of the desk, twisting his glasses between his fingers as he watched her brow furrow.

"_Yes, but,_" There was a pause on the line and Calleigh could feel her heart quickening. "_I understand that Cleo's father was to be picking her up today?_"

Calleigh's heart dropped into her stomach. "Yes, I," She stammered. "He would have picked her up," She checked her watch and her eyes bulged. "over two hours ago."

Silence on the other end of the line did little to nothing, to allay Calleigh's sudden fears. "_Well, I'm sorry Miss Duquesne, but he hasn't yet arrived and the children have started arriving for their after-school-care, classes._"

"You mean to tell me that Cleo is still there?" Calleigh met Horatio's eye when his head shot up, hearing now, the reason for the quiver in her tone. She didn't know what she was going to do. Panic rose in her throat and her heart was beating faster. Rage overtook her for a moment, fury at the man that had promised her he'd have their daughter home with him. Anger toward the man that had promised he'd be there, this one time.

She heard the ding of the elevator, turning, her cheeks reddened as Eric calmly made his way across the lobby. He shared a glance with Horatio, furrowing his brow at Calleigh's rigid spine and fists clenched tightly against the counter-top. Horatio looked away, avoiding eye-contact with either of them as Eric placed a gentle hand on Calleigh's shoulder, pressing his palm to her shoulder-blade and running a soothing hand across her back. She tensed even more, studiously ignoring his touch to the best of her ability.

"I apologise, Miss Shelby. I can't step away from work at the moment, but I'm going to send an officer over to pick her up. If you could please, for my peace of mind, ask for his identification before handing over my child?"

Calleigh could clearly hear the relief in the woman's voice as she spoke again. "_That won't be a problem, Miss Duquesne. And, please, don't worry about the overtime, Cleo is a dear and the older children adore her. I understand that this situation was beyond your control and as long as it doesn't become a regular occurance, I'm happy to leave it just as it is._"

"Well," Calleigh's shuddered breathing, slowly started to even out. "I appreciate that, Miss Shelby, thank you. Someone will be by to pick her up as soon as possible."

With a shaky hand, Calleigh slowly handed the phone back to the reception-desk officer and cautiously turned back toward Horatio, and Eric standing just behind her shoulder.

"Calleigh?" Eric breathed, concerned.

Pressing her eyes closed, Calleigh fought to control her anger. She wanted to hit something, a wall, the desk, Horatio, Eric, anything or anyone to eradicate the rage building within her. She'd never felt so betrayed, so humiliated and so infuriated. He had promised. He said it was fine, he'd said that he'd be there. Two hours, he'd left their daughter at daycare and the sun was already starting to set beyond the silhouettes of the palm trees, on the Miami horizon.

Opening her eyes again, Calleigh quivered beneath Eric's hand as she looked up at him. He could see then, the red rimming her eyes and the sharp green colour her eyes had taken in her anger. "Jake has left Cleo at daycare." She stated with barely contained fire. "It's been more than two hours and he didn't even _call_!" She practically sobbed the last of her sentance, feeling Eric's arm enclose her slightly, wishing that she could just fall into his embrace, though she knew she couldn't.

"I'll go." Eric whispered, hugging her to his chest with his arm around her shoulders. He kissed the top of her head and though normally, she would protest the gesture at work, she didn't fight the small touch of comfort.

Neither of them acknowledged Horatio standing there, quietly watching the exchange. He simply waited patiently for Calleigh, watching to see if his aid was needed before she inevitably returned to her professional, guarded self.

"Please," Calleigh rasped and Eric turned around, halfway towards the elevator and halfway back to her. "bring her back to me. Don't take her home. I want her here."

Eric closed the distance again, reaching out to wrap her in his arms briefly. He kissed her forehead and Calleigh dabbed at the tears that hadn't yet fallen, smiling through the anger she just couldn't seem to quash.

"We'll be back before you know it." He promised, letting her go and making his way back to elevator. He slowed his pace before he reached it, just in case she called him back again. But she didn't. He was safely enclosed and already descending when she finally released a long breath.

"I know she's fine," She admitted, seemingly speaking to Horatio, though she hadn't looked away from the elevator.

"Of course she is." His answer was simple and true. A fact, because Horatio was good with facts. His comfort right now, was not what she needed. But his facts, they would help. She wasn't going to break down, Horatio knew that. She'd punch through a glass wall before she'd cry in the lobby and he trusted her to gather herself, take a breath and calm herself before they left for the interrogation rooms. He knew that her quivering frame would abate once she got her mind back in her work and he knew that the reddness around her eyes was out of rage, if nothing else. She was strong and he had no doubts that the situation would be dealt with, swiftly and without recourse.

Calleigh nodded, taking a breath before looking up to him with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. He could see the anger there, brimming behind her clenched teeth. But it was anger for Jake and an anger that may just cause their suspect to wish he'd never been born.

* * *

"_Papi_!" The squealling voice of Cleo reached his ears before he'd even raised his hand to the intercom. Eric smiled to her through the bars into the playground. He couldn't get to her from where he was, but the smile on her face melted his heart, regardless.

"I'm coming to get you, _mija_, just a minute, okay?" She waved her little hand, waddling off towards the doors back in to the center and picking up a rainbow coloured ball as she went. Pressing the intercom button, Eric moved closer when he heard a woman's sweetly voice from the other side. "Ah, I'm here to pick up Cleo Duquesne."

The door buzzed and Eric ducked inside, making his way down a narrow hall before he came to the reception desk. He smiled down at the girl, quickly taking his badge from his belt and resting it on the counter. "I'm here to pick up Cleo Duquesne." He restated, unsure as to whether this was the same woman he'd just spoken to over the crackly intercom.

"Yes, I heard." She smirked and Eric rolled his eyes with a smile.

"_Papi_!" His head spun around at the sound of her voice. She was rested on the hip of an older woman wearing a floral shirt and glasses held on with a gold chain. She had her arms stretched out to him, kicking her legs and reaching for him as desperately as she could.

"Are you Mr Berkeley?" The older woman frowned, obvious disaproval in her tone and Eric's eyes widened.

"Oh, no, ma'am." He exclaimed, holding his hands up in surrender as though she were going to decline handing Cleo to him if he were to say yes. Obviously, this woman held a certain distaste for Jake. Eric wasn't really all that surprised. "I, um," He stammered. "she calls me _Papi_. I'm, sort-of...kind of like..."

Her frown eased away. "It's alright. I understand." She grinned, finally stepping foward to allow Cleo to grasp Eric's shirt. He could do little more than take the girl into his arms and when she practically squealed with delight, wrapping her arms around his neck, he could do nothing but smile blindingly. "We see a lot of different kinds of families through here, Mr-"

"-Delko." He helped her. "Eric Delko." She nodded, smirking. "Listen, I'm sorry that Jake didn't pick her up on time. I mean, if Calleigh or I had known, we'd have come right away."

She raised her hand, shaking her head with a chuckle. "I assure you that it's fine, Mr Delko. Calleigh has never been late before and we all adore Cleo here. We don't mind such a minor slip." Her tone slowly turned firm, but no less kind. "Though, this is a business and if it becomes a habit we will be forced to charge Miss Duquesne for the overtime care."

"I completely understand." Eric nodded, his expression serious even as Cleo giggled on his hip, reaching for the little Disney Princess knapsack that the younger receptionist was handing her. She hugged it to her chest, finding difficulty holding it up if it weren't for Eric's free hand, helping her. He jostled on her hip, finding a comfortable position where he could hold her, the knapsack and his keys with relative ease. "Say goodbye to Miss Shelby." Eric encouraged Cleo and she beamed, waving her chubby little hand.

The blonde curls on top of her head bobbed as she dropped her head to Eric's shoulder, coyly snuggling closer. "Goodbye, Cleo." Both the women waved as Eric pushed his way out the door.

"Guess where we're going, _mija_." He smirked, buckling her into the seat in the back of Calleigh's car. He remembered the sadness in her eyes, the day she'd traded in her sky-blue crossfire for the silver BMW. He remembered thinking that trading a Chrysler for a BMW was really only something Calleigh could be upset about, with a small chuckle. But she'd loved that car and it made him smirk every time he borrowed this new one that had a safe-n-sound seat in the back and toys all over the floor. The image of a seven-month pregnant Calleigh behind the wheel in the showroom, near to tears over trading for a sedan, was an image that wasn't going to leave him any time soon. Sometimes he even brought it up, when he was feeling risque, knowing that discussing Calleigh's rather emotional state in the last few months of her pregnancy had been like playing a game of Russian Roulette.

"Beach!" The little girl bounced in her seat, making it difficult for Eric to get the last clip in place.

"Nope, guess again, _mi pequeña princesa_."

"_Helado?_" Her little brow furrowed, confused.

Eric chuckled. "No, _mija_, no ice cream. We're going to see Momma at work."

Her large, green eyes lit up brightly. Her lips widened in a glistening smile, just like her mother's, and it was in moments like that, where he saw the utter joy on her face, that he most greatly appreciated that she looked so much like Calleigh. She had Jake's easier-to-tan complexion, but everything else was Calleigh. From her green eyes to her blonde hair. Her laugh was contagious and her brain worked a mile a minute, just like her Momma.

* * *

Making her way out of the interrogation room, Calleigh knew that she should have felt accomplished. The man had confessed, been charged and packed off to a holding cell. They'd pulled another killer off the streets but she felt no better for it. Horatio had had to pull her back from him a few times as she'd recklessly faced-off with the man. She'd gotten within an inch of his face before Horatio's hand at her elbow had pulled her back, before his breath against her ear had whispered to her to calm down, that Cleo was fine and that she should take her anger out on Jake.

Horatio knew that the man deserved everything he got from her, but part of Calleigh thought that maybe Horatio didn't want her to burn herself out before she got a chance to tell Jake exactly how he'd made her feel. She'd placed her trust in him, again, and he'd disappointed. She didn't need to be wasting her frustration on their suspect. She needed to put as much conviction into her later conversation with Jake if he was ever going to understand just how important Cleo was. She knew, without doubt, that Jake loved Cleo with all of his heart. She'd seen him with her countless times. She knew that he'd do anything to make her happy. But he was careless and frivolous and his job was still more important. He would defend himself that at least she was safe, but Calleigh didn't have the luxury of affording him excuses.

Partly, she blamed herself. She'd known for years that she couldn't rely on him, not really. She'd known since before Cleo was born.

_Calleigh looked up from her scope as she heard the sound of her lab door being opened. Immediately, her soft expression of focus in her work, hardened to an anger-filled scowl. Her eyebrows pulled together, her shoulders clenched and her back, though already straight from her efforts to ward off a constant ache, straightened still._

_"I don't want to talk to you." She stated. Matter-of-factly and leaving no room for question or rebuke._

_"Calleigh," He admonished, subconciously holding out his hands in a sign of surrender, but she was already looking back down at her striated bullet, doing her best to ignore him and the seering fire shooting up her spine. "Calleigh, please, let me explain."_

_She snapped. For all her efforts at staying calm and collected, she couldn't hold back any longer. Known as the one that could endure anything, stay strong and stoic in the face of all adversity, Calleigh Duquesne, snapped._

_"Five months, Jake!" She shrieked, spinning back to him. "I have been pregnant, five months!" She was seething. "You've had that long to get your act together, you promised me. But you've been absent three out of five, my Doctor doesn't have a clue what you look like and asks about you every time I have to turn up with my Dad, or worse, alone. God, Jake? What am I supposed to do?"_

_He took a step back. Calleigh's face was red and her hands were clenched in fists against the countertop. She took long, calming breaths that did nothing to douse the flames in her heart. Her heart was broken, torn asunder and she was more ashamed of the fact that she'd seen this coming._

_"I missed the appointment?" He questioned, his voice sounding almost innocently unaware that that was exactly what had triggered an anger that had been a long time building on small things amounting._

_"Missed the appointment," She gasped in an exsasperated, frustrated breath; annoyed that all he could state was the obvious. "Jake, I thought that when we found out about this baby, things would change. You promised me that you were getting out, that we were going to try and make this work."_

_"Calleigh," He tried to jump in, no doubt to attempt to defend himself. But she wasn't having any of it._

_"It's not working." She stated simply, softly, firmly and finally._

_His face fell. "Calleigh, no."_

_"I can't do it, Jake. The stress is not good for me, it's not good for her." Jake's eyes widened and she could see by the way his chest rose and fell, faster than before, that his heartrate had quickened. "That's right, Jake, we're having a little girl. Her heart sounds like a galloping pony and she's beautiful," She breathed out the last. "and I had to sit there today, holding Eric's hand while I found out that you and I were having a daughter, because you were nowhere to be found. Do you have any idea how that made me feel?"_

_Jake's jaw hardened. "You went with Eric?" He practically spat the name and Calleigh's nostrils flared in anger. She stood up, holding a hand to the purple fabric stretched over her pronounced belly as she rounded the table towards him with purposeful strides._

_She raised a finger, shaking it at him before her fury could form just the right words. "You have no right!" She boomed. "Yes! I went to the appointment today, with Eric. And you know why? Because he was here, Jake. Eric is here. He is here, every damned day and you! You can't even find it in you to be here for a whole week at a time. You don't tell me where you're going, when you'll be home. You don't even tell me when you're leaving! You know what," Her anger dissepated suddenly and she took a step back. "I'm done fighting about this. Just leave."_

_"Calleigh," He'd barely said a word, knowing deep down that the words he had said, were undoubtedly the wrong ones but he wanted another chance. Dealt no small amount of second chances from Calleigh, he knew that he was wishful to hope for just one more, but it was possible, he thought, with Calleigh it was possible. She wanted this as much as he did._

_"No," She shook her head, stepping back from him as she cast her eyes away. "no, Jake. No more fighting, no more trying and no more second chances. I want you to leave, now. And I want you and your things gone from my house by the time Eric drives me home."_

_"Eric again," He muttered and even as the words had left his mouth, he'd known it was the wrong move. It was a stupid, characteristic move that had gotten him in hot water countless times before. But this wasn't hot water now, this was the bottom of the dried up pool he'd been hopping in and out of, non-challantly for the entirety of their relationship. He just never realised that he'd ever find a way to push her right over the edge._

_"Yes! Eric!" She screamed. "Because I'm not getting in the car with you, Jake and he offered."_

_"So you told him about this, you planned this?" He felt that he had a right to know, about that in the least. What he didn't need to know was that she was making this up as she went along.  
_

_Calleigh sighed, almost deflated and her voice softened, her effort expelled. "When I left the doctor's office and broke down into tears in the hall, Jake - because we're having a little girl," She smiled through the tears that were rimming her eyes. "Eric was there. You weren't and that's the biggest problem. You're never here. You've never been here when I needed you. Never."_

_"I can be here!" He fought._

_"No Jake," She shook her head, moving behind her workbench again, as a measure of protection. "you've proven time and again that you can't. Please, just go."_

_There was a few moments of silence between them, the air thick with unsaid disappointments before Jake's voice broke through. Calleigh's hand was rested on the dial of her scope, feigning to return to her work, when the sound reached her ears._

_"I have rights, you know." She knew he was referring to their unborn baby._

_"Yeah," She nodded. "you do. We'll work something out, Jake. But right now, you and I are over."_

_Jake left without another word. Calleigh listened to the sound of the door click closed before the silence engulfed her and she felt as though a thousand bricks had landed on her chest. She tried hard to breathe, bracing her hands on the edge of the bench as she took air in slowly and let it out in a shuddering release. Her chest contorted painfully and she wanted desperately to run out into the hall and call his name. But she knew that even though she was desperate to take it all back, she'd meant every word._

_She couldn't raise a child with a man that was never there when she needed him. She couldn't raise her daughter to rely on a man who couldn't be there, if not for her mother, then to hear her sing at her school play. She couldn't let her daughter grow up with the same expectations from men that she had; none. If she couldn't be with someone who was going to put his family first; raise her daughter with someone that was going to be there. Then she was going to absolutely and resolutely, do it alone.  
_

Calleigh blinked, shaking her head to get rid of the painful memory even though she knew it was never going away. She could recall that entire day with startling clarity because on top of everything Jake had or hadn't done, it was also the day that they'd all thought Horatio was dead. She remembered standing out on the rain-washed tarmac, holding her head in one hand - not even caring to hold back her hair, whipping in the wind - with her other hand pressed to her belly as she broke down in tears. She remembered glancing up at Eric, seeing that he could barely breathe. She remembered the pain and the anguish in his eyes, when he'd reefed the collar of Ryan's shirt towards him, demanding an explanation.

She remembered standing by Eric that day, feeling a fury for more than one man and an ache in her heart for her best friend. With reddened eyes and a rigid spine, she'd demanded that they catch whoever was responsible for Horatio's murder, leaving behind her own joy on the unforgiving asphalt as Eric helped her into the Hummer, vision blurred and lips pressed tightly into a thin line.

They'd only been heading back from her doctor, when Ryan had made the call that Horatio was down.

But then, everything changed. Horatio was fine and she and Eric were fine. Ryan wasn't dirty, Jake showed up with the guns from the Crypt-Kings and the lab regained it's balance. And Calleigh then remembered how it felt to know that while the lab had found it's footing, she was never going to be standing on the same feet again. She was a single mother with a half-finished nursery, a sports-car to trade in and a wardrobe full of six-inch heels that she hadn't been able to wear in over three months.

"There's your momma!" Calleigh jolted out of her thoughts when she heard the sound of Eric's voice following the ping of the elevator and she spun around quickly, her hair whipping across her face as she crouched down to the ground, scooping Cleo into her arms as her little girl awkwardly ran towards her, holding her arms out wide.

"Hi baby." She sighed, lifting Cleo up into her arms as she hugged her tightly, kissing her cheeks.

"Momma, _Papi_ came to get me from school!"

Calleigh smirked at Eric over Cleo's little shoulder. "Yes, I know."

"Can we go for ice cream now?" She questioned, looking into Calleigh's eyes and she laughed, glancing at Eric who raised his hands in order to profess his innocence.

"I promised her nothing." He defended and Calleigh shrugged.

"It's alright, we'll get her some on the way home." Lowering Cleo back down to the ground, Calleigh held her hand tightly and crouched down to her level. "Sweetpea, we're going to go home soon. But I still have some work to do. How about, you come with me while I see _Tio_ Horatio and then you, me and_ Papi_ will get some ice cream. How does that sound?"

Cleo raised her arms with a squeal of delight. "Yes!" She boomed and Calleigh laughed, switching her hand into her left so that they could walk down the hall together. Eric followed them close behind, smiling at the way Calleigh had to bend slightly to the left because Cleo was so small for her age. That was another thing that she had from Calleigh, that he loved; her size. Sometimes people thought that she was well under eighteen months old, even though to Calleigh and him, she was clearly three years. She was, petite, for lack of a better word. And like her mother, it meant that it was all the easier for him to hold them both in his arms.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_Eric was standing with the fridge door open, Ryan's orange-juice carton in hand, when he heard the door to the break-room open. He took a gulp as he turned his head, nearly choking on the cool liquid when he met the reddened eyes of the woman that greeted him. She smiled softly, brushing her hands down the front of her blouse as he set the carton back in the fridge, wiping his mouth with his other hand._

_"Calleigh," He breathed. "are you alright?"_

_She tested out a genuine smile, but it faltered and she had to take a deep breath, licking her lips as she did her best to form the right words. She was fighting off tears, he could tell and as she looked away, chewing down harder on her lip, he felt the need to be closer to her._

_He'd barely made it three steps across the room before she looked back to him. He stopped in his tracks. "I don't know." She whispered and before he knew it, he had his arms wrapped around her. Since he'd heard about her pregnancy, he'd been somewhat distant with her, he knew that, and the fact that she'd come to him just now, baffled him slightly. But the idea that she was having Jake's baby and not his, didn't erase the fact that whenever he saw her eyes brimming with tears, he wanted to pull out his gun and hunt down the bastard that had put them there. He could feel her sobbing against his chest and knew that there was going to be mascara stains against the red and white, floral, design. Not that he cared in the slightest. He just wanted to know what it was that had her so upset._

_"Calleigh," He brushed a hand over her hair. "what happened?"_

_She stayed silent for several moments, taking deep breaths with her cheek against his chest; attempting to calm herself before she spoke, he supposed. With one final, deep, breath, Calleigh straightened and looked up at him. He didn't remove his hands from her shoulders and to his surprise, she didn't drop her hands from his waist, either._

_"I broke up with Jake."_

_He wasn't entirely sure how he should answer that. To say that he was surprised would be a lie, to say that he was disappointed would be even moreso and the worst part about that was that she would know, instantly. To say that he was sorry, could go either way. "Aw, Cal." He hugged her again, finding within himself, that what she needed right now, wasn't really words. She knew how he felt and he knew her too well. That's why she had come. That's why she would always come to him._

_"I just," She wavered on her feet, pressing her forehead to his chest as she closed her eyes. "I just wanted to ask if I could get a ride home? I sort of told Jake that you'd already offered." Eric brushed his fingers down the side of her face, holding her hair back from her eyes. "I didn't want to go with him."_

_"Okay." Was all he said. But he knew that if she asked for anything else, from here on in, he would say yes._

_"I'll just get my things." She said softly, dropping her hands from his waist and taking a few steps back. She smiled slightly, holding a hand to her belly and he knew that her tears were more for her daughter than for herself. But he said nothing. Calleigh turned on her heel, disappearing out the door as quietly as she'd come and Eric was left standing there, wondering what he wouldn't give to have been Jake, to have had the chance to avoid that shattered look in her eyes. He knew that man could have saved her from it; would have, even, if he had half an inkling of just what he was doing to her._

_At times, he had felt respect for Jake in the way he cared for Calleigh. But all the gifts and sweet-nothings were not going to make up for this. It didn't matter that she'd made the decision to break up with him; by his actions, Jake had abandoned her. And Eric couldn't find it in himself to forgive him._

"Did you wanna drop by Jake's?" Eric asked, his hands gripped tightly to the steering wheel as Calleigh was reaching over into the backseat, trying to scavange for Cleo's favourite toy that was wedged behind the baby-seat.

"No." Calleigh shook her head, dropping back into her seat and handing Cleo the bear with a playful grin meant for her daughter even though she didn't particularly feel up to smiling. She turned to Eric. "He won't be there."

Eric didn't really know what to say. He knew that there was every chance she was right, and he wasn't really in the mood to face off with Jake anyway. Calleigh would deal with it in her own time, in her own manner. He just wanted to get it over and done with, so that she could relax.

"How about that ice cream then?" He smirked in her direction and Calleigh giggled when Cleo let out a great "YAY!" and threw her arms into the air, launching the bear backwards, accidently getting it lodged against the back window.

"You've lost it now, sweetpea." Calleigh laughed as Cleo dropped her hands into her lap and pouted.

"Don't make that sour face." Eric laughed, looking at her through the rear-view mirror. "How about some Moose-tracks?"

She was back to excited again in a matter of seconds. Calleigh just grinned and the issue with Jake was almost forgotten. Almost.

_"How are you feeling?" Eric questioned, resolutely staying focused on the road ahead of him as he turned into her street. "I mean, apart from what happened with Jake."_

_Calleigh smiled softly, still looking down at her hand rested on her belly. She'd been watching her own hand moving back and forth across the stretched purple fabric since they'd left the MDPD parking-lot. She hadn't said much, just moved her fingers back and forth as though she were caressing her baby's back. And maybe she was, in her minds eye. He could imagine that it would be a soothing daydream to get lost in. "I'm alright, I mean, the doctor says that we're both healthy so I think I'm okay."_

_"That's good." Eric wasn't really sure where to go from there. Since she had told him she was pregnant, he'd closed off from their friendship all but completely. He was there when she needed him, for a hug or a late-night beer and no conversation when Jake decided to disappear all those times that she got used to him, disappearing. She didn't talk about Jake with him and he was grateful for it, but apparently that had given her very little to talk about. Frankly, he'd simply forgotten the ease with which they used to talk. They used to dance around each other so expertly but all of a sudden he realised that he'd forgotten the steps._

_Coming around the bend towards her house, Eric looked up when she gasped. They could see her house and they were closing in on it but Calleigh was suddenly rigid. Her back stiffened and she sat up straighter, gripping the handle on the door until her knuckles went white._

_"Keep driving." She stated and Eric looked to her momentarily. _

_"Are you sure?" He eyed her, the car in her driveway and the bags on the front step._

_"Yes," She turned to him, eyes pleading and he'd never seen her so raw before. "please, Eric, just keep going."_

_"He's going to see the Hummer."_

_"I don't care if he knows it's us, I just don't want to deal with him right now."_

_"Okay," He soothed, reaching over to grasp her hand against her leg. "it's alright, I'll keep going." Hitting his foot to the gas, Eric sped past._

_And they didn't see the reddened eyes watching them from the nursery window._  
_

* * *

_  
_Jake slumped down into the sofa. He had a bag laying haphazardly in the hall and a pile of magazines sitting stacked up on the floor beside it. There were two suitcases full of his clothes out on the front step and he figured that was one of the two things that had forced her to keep on driving when she'd come up to the house._

_Dropping his head into his hands, he sighed deeply. "What have I done?" He asked the silence of her house. Normally the smell of her perfume, drifting down the hall, eased him into a feeling of comfort and security. It created a solid home in his life, where he had no other. She'd been his rock and it killed him to realise that he hadn't been hers._

_He didn't blame her for what had happened. He couldn't, wouldn't blame her for protecting herself and their baby. In fact, he loved her all the more for putting their little girl first. He thought that maybe if she wasn't pregnant, if it was only her heart available to break, she might have given him another chance. But he supposed that he'd never know how it would have happened, had she not been pregnant._

_Taking a deep breath, Jake wiped the tears away from his eyes. He hadn't realised that he'd been crying until he wiped his hand across his face and it startled him a little, to see the moisture there. "Pull it together, Berkeley." He muttered, striding across the room to grab his bag. "You're crying over a girl." He chastised himself, stopping in the centre of the hall to look back into her pristine little home. There was no trace of him left in her livingroom. Not a shirt over the back of the couch, not a magazine on the coffee table. It was as if he'd never even been there and he supposed that that was how she wanted it. "She's just another girl." He tried to justify, fighting the want to tear up again. She was just another girl. But, he knew she wasn't._

_Calleigh had always been different to all the other girls. In college and now, she'd always been special. She'd always understood him. When Eric had loathed him, Horatio had chastised him and the others all looked to him with distaste. Calleigh had understood, somewhere, somehow. She couldn't keep on understanding now, though. And he knew that, deep down. She couldn't go on forever, understanding and understanding while she had a little girl that wanted him to be her Daddy._

_She'd made the right choice, for herself and their baby and with a deep breath and a heavy heart, he respected her decision._

_He stepped backwards out the front door, locking it with his key before leaving it there, underneath the doormat. He took one last look as he dragged his things towards his car, trying to ignore the nagging memory of seeing Eric driving the hummer, seeing Calleigh's scared expression as he'd hit the gas and screamed on past. He had to forget it. He had to ignore what he'd always known Eric felt for Calleigh, he had to ignore that there had always been that little something from her end too, that sort of made him feel left out._

_Calleigh didn't break up with him so that she could be with Eric, he was sure of that. It wasn't her way and she was the one that had fought so hard to make what little they had, work. He could only blame himself for not fighting for what was being offered to him. For not fighting for what a better man was waiting in the wings for._

_He didn't have a right to care anymore. He didn't have a right to ask her to come back. She could do what she wanted and he was going to have to stand by and watch, never getting close. He was going to have to live with what he'd done and he supposed that watching his daughter grow up from the sidelines, was his punishment._

_It didn't matter that his heart was broken too._

_

* * *

_  
_"The beach?" Calleigh questioned, running her hands along her thighs, nervously. She was still shaken from seeing Jake's car outside her house and it had taken most of the drive down to Miami Beach for her to let go of the death-grip she had on Eric's hand. Eric put her extreme reactions down to hormones. Normally, the Calleigh he knew wouldn't be acting this way. She'd be quiet and withdrawn, maybe a little shaken. But he'd never seen her so scared before._

_"Yeah," He smiled sideways, trying to meet her eye. "I remembered how the waves always relax you."_

_She did look up at him then, smiling wider than she had all afternoon. "It's hard for me to get across the sand, these days, you know." She said softly, brushing her fingers across her belly and Eric grinned._

_"It's alright," He breathed, looking into her eyes. "I'll hold your hand."_

_The coy smile that he'd seen only a few times before, reached up from beneath her lashes. "Okay." She whispered, the way she had that day he'd been terrified to send her home alone. The day she'd been chloroformed and held hostage and he didn't know if he was ever going to see her again._

_Eric hopped down from the Hummer, running around to her side as fast as he could so that she wouldn't climb out by herself. Of course, by the time he reached her she already had one foot touching the ground and a mischevious glint in her eye at knowing just what he'd been trying to do._

_"I wanted to be chivalrous." He pouted and Calleigh laughed softly, holding out her hand for him to take it._

_"Well now's your chance."_

_With her hand in his, Eric locked the Hummer and slowly led her down to the edge of the beach. She looked at the sand forlornly, brushing her hair back behind her ear as she pondered how exactly she was going to make it across the uneven ground with as much grace as possible._

_"It's probably best if you take off your shoes." He suggested, letting go of her hands so that he could pull off his own shoes. Calleigh eyed him for a moment._

_"How far are we going, exactly?"_

_Eric grinned up at her before pointing down to the water's edge. "I was thinking that rise looks nice and comfortable." There was a small mound in the sand, just before it dipped down to allow for the falling tide. Calleigh licked her lips and nodded resolutely, gripping his shoulder to use him as a lean in order to remove her shoes. She dropped them on the stone steps, just beside his and Eric grinned as he took her hands, leading her down into the sand._

_They managed to walk about five steps before Calleigh called him to a halt. "Wait, I don't want to leave my shoes there. They're Gucci."_

_"I thought you, didn't have time to go to the Mall." Eric raised his hands in mock quotation marks and Calleigh rolled her eyes. _

_"If you must know, they were a apology present from my Dad."_

_Eric's smile fell away. "Oh, sorry." Leaving her where she stood, he jogged back and collected the shoes, passing her's to her before taking up her hand again and leading her down to the perfect spot he'd chosen. They dropped their shoes down in the sand and Calleigh giggled when he took both of her hands and lowered her to sit down. He was treating her like she was made of glass and after the day she'd had, she was loathe to admit that she rather liked it.

* * *

_

_There were times in their friendship, when their silences had been comfortable and sometimes even _comforting_. Just to know that he was sitting by her side, that he was within arm's reach, was enough. And while they sat on the beach, Calleigh's fingers drawing errant swirls in the sand before her, she could feel that same old silence that was neither comfortable, nor awkward. Eric's posture was relaxed and his legs were out straight before him. He had one leg crossed casually over the other and his right arm braced, pressing his palm into the damp sand in his shadow. Calleigh hadn't looked at him since he'd released her hands but she could feel that every now and then, his eyes were on the side of her face._

_The sun was setting over Miami. Looking out to the Atlantic ahead of them, they could see the shadows of the fishing-houses on the horizon and the orange glow of the setting sun, relfecting off the waves. It was beautiful and after the day they'd had, Calleigh was rather content to just sit there and soak up the last burst of warmth the dusk sun offered her, before it surrendered to the night. But somewhere in the midst of her silence and Eric's overwhelming presence, she felt an unbidden - yet desperate - need to explain._

_She knew that Eric understood. At least, he'd tried so hard to understand over the last several months, if only in an effort to keep what little friendship remained. He'd promised, years ago, to always be there for her no matter what. And despite the pain she knew she'd caused him - with want for her own joys - he was still there. And his hand was still out-stretched. A part of her wondered if he even knew how to withdraw it._

_"This baby wasn't an accident," She whispered, feeling instead of seeing Eric's surprise - In Eric's mind, he knew that Calleigh wasn't the kind of person to just fall into a situation that she couldn't handle. Accidental pregnancy was not something he could envision in Calleigh's carefully structured life. She always had a plan. She wasn't sure if his surprise was at her words or merely the fact that she'd spoken. But she didn't wish to ask. "I mean, we didn't mean to have a baby now, but,"_

_"You didn't _not_ mean to either." He finished for her and Calleigh lifted her eyes slowly, looking at him through the veil of hair that had fallen partly across her face. The part of her mind that drew the partitions in their friendship, screamed at her to leave it at that. But the part of her that had always loved this man, in some form or another, battled quite recklessly for his right to know the extent of all things. He was looking out toward the sun slowly lowering behind the horizon and she didn't lay blame to him, for not meeting her eye in that moment. His feelings for her had never been a secret, and she knew that some of it would hurt him and some of it would bring him joy, but she felt he deserved to know._

_"I just," She breathed. "I knew Jake in College, you know? I always felt that he'd be a great Dad and I'm not getting any younger, Eric," She chuckled and Eric smiled, glancing in her direction but not in her eyes. "not that I'm old." He laughed a little lighter at that and finally looked up at her, seeing the vibrant green of her eyes, illuminated by the glow off the water._

_"Not even close." He whispered and it didn't go unnoticed, the way he raised his hand as if to reach out and touch her, though he pulled it back at the last moment, resting it on his lap._

_Calleigh licked her lips and shrugged. "I just never had any doubts that he'd be a great father, and we talked about kids." Eric recalled the moment he'd shared with her, when she'd told him that she thought he'd be a great Dad too. He hadn't known what to think on that day, when he'd all but told her that he could see himself having kids with her. But she'd found out she was pregnant only weeks after that and his hopes had been so suddenly dashed. Once again, losing out to the man he felt had never deserved her in the first place. "I suppose I just never considered what it would mean for me." She finished her thought and Eric was unceremoniously pulled from his._

_Blinking, he watched her watch her finger in the sand. "It's not your fault, Calleigh."_

_She laughed gently. "Then who's fault is it, Eric?" She looked up at him, dusting the sand from her hands. "And don't say it's all Jake's fault, because even you know that's not true."_

_"No," He conceded. "it's not all Jake's fault. But blaming yourself is not going to make it better. You can't go back to before, Calleigh and I really can't imagine that you'd want to." She smiled down at her hand now resting on her belly, shaking her head. "You can't change what's happened, but you can move on from it."_

_Calleigh took a deep breath. "I just keep wondering if I've made the right choice, though. I mean, raising a baby is hard and I've just pushed away the one person that was supposed to be beside me through all of this." She met his eye and for the first time, he saw the depth of pain there. She was afraid. "I'm alone." And Eric knew that that wasn't something Calleigh was used to being afraid of._

_"No," He smiled, shuffling closer in the sand until he could reach up and press his palm to her cheek. Resting her face in his hand as his fingertips caressed her temple and his thumb grazed across her cheek. "you'll never be alone, Cal."_

_She flinched unintentionally and Eric pulled his hand away as she pressed her eyes closed. "Eric, please, don't do this now."_

_And it was clear what she thought he was saying. "Calleigh," He stopped what he was going to say, reaching for her cheek again. "open your eyes." She complied and he smiled. "You know how I feel about you, you always have." She nodded, nervously licking her bottom lip, hoping that she wouldn't have to deal with this now, she couldn't, not today. "I'm not asking for anything. I promise you, Calleigh, I won't ask for anything until you want me to. I just want you to know that I'm here. No matter what," He raised his other hand to her other cheek, cupping her face. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." She smiled softly and he could feel the tension in her slipping away. "I'll never ask for more than you're ready to give. But I'll always be here," He glanced at her belly. "for both of you._

_With small tears gracing her cheeks, Calleigh finally let herself fall into his arms. He shuffled closer still until she could press her cheek to his chest and let his embrace sheild her from the slight chill that had rolled across the beach, as the moon traded with the sun for bounty on the skies. Stars started to stud the moonlight blue and Calleigh found herself content to just sit there, warm and safe and protected even though the only thing she was sure about was that, in just under four months, she was going to have a daughter and her entire world would be forever changed.

* * *

_

Calleigh slumped down into the couch, beside Eric. He smirked in her direction and she rolled her eyes dramatically. "Thanks for the help," She jibbed and Eric chuckled, reaching across her for the remote control and pulling her back with him, into his arms as he switched on the television.

"What," He protested and she knew he was smirking, even though she couldn't see him. "I'm the step-father, the good guy. I'm supposed to buy her the ice-cream, as much as she wants, when she wants. Then it makes her hyper and I leave the hard work to you."

Calleigh jabbed him playfully in the ribs with her elbow. "That's not how it works and you know it."

"Alright," He chuckled, kissing her temple as she snuggled down closer into his embrace. "alright. I'll get her tonight, when she wakes up."

"You bet your ass you will," She giggled. "she wouldn't stop bouncing in her bed until she wore herself out and collapsed."

Eric was about to laugh when the door-bell stopped him short. He could feel against his chest, the telltale signs of Calleigh's hackles starting to rise. "Want me to get it?" He whispered and she shook her head, pressing her hand to his heart as she kissed his lips quickly, before climbing up from the couch.

"No," She answered softly. "Jake's my problem."

She knew that wasn't the way Eric felt. "Calleigh, if you don't want to talk to him,"

She cut him off. "It's alright, Eric." She insisted, gripping his hand tightly to reassure him. Regardless, she knew that he was going to turn the television down low so that he could listen for any reason at all, to come out and back her up.

TBC


End file.
